From the preface:
"When the first Spanish and French explorers encountered the western Gulf Coast, they were confronted by an immense and continuous wetland zone that ranged from shallow brackish bays, densely vegetated marshes, and wooded swamps to wet and poorly drained prairies. Early land value assessments were often negative . . . . Today, the original, boundless, and nearly impenetrable wetlands are found in smaller patches, punctuated by levees, ditches, and roadways. There have been major changes in plant distribution and species composition and abundance across the western Gulf...